Somos OC | Mpowerment Orange County CA

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Before implementing a Project, we cannot emphasize enough the
importance of thinking through the following:

1) how to obtain adequate
funding for the Project; 2) what qualifications and characteristics are
needed in the people who will be hired to run it; and 3) what options
exist in the community for a distinct Project space.Our research has shown that organizations that strategize and plan ahead
are much more effective at implementing the Mpowerment Project than
organizations that do not.RELATED: What is the Mpowerment Project? Download Module 1: Mpowerment Overview for free here.

United Black Ellument (U-BE), Mpowerment Dallas TX

Securing Adequate Funding

Implementing the Mpowerment
Project requires substantially more resources than educational programs that deliver AIDS 101 talks, street outreach, or brochure distribution. If you
plan to implement the Mpowerment Project, you need to have funding for
at least one full time Coordinator, but it is better to have at least another
half-time Coordinator (and our research shows that two full-time staff is by far preferable). And importantly, when we talk about time spent on
the Mpowerment Project, it does not include time working on HIV testing
and counseling. In addition, it is important to find a space to house the
Project. Without a sufficient budget to support the expenses of staff and
Project space, it will be difficult to implement the Mpowerment Project
very effectively (Download sample
Mpowerment Project expenses when you register for free at www.mpowerment.org).

The Project’s goals are to reduce sexual risk behavior and increase knowledge
of current HIV sero-status among young gay and bisexual men by developing a
strong, healthy, empowered community of men who support each other in
reducing their sexual risk behavior, in getting HIV testing, using condoms or obtaining PrEP getting into and/or maintaining their health-care if one is living with HIV as well as functioning
successfully in the larger society where heterosexuality is the norm. With
respect to implementing the Mpowerment Project, the agency’s objectives
include recruiting, hiring, and supervising staff; securing and maintaining an
adequate Project space; coordinating the Core Group; sponsoring effective
Social Outreach activities; and diffusing norms of safer sex and testing
throughout the entire young gay and bisexual men’s community. Considering the
scope of Project objectives and activities, it should be clear why at least one
full-time staff member is a necessity, and why two full-time staff members
are preferable to implement the intervention successfully.

Click to enlarge

An agency needs to be creative and resourceful in generating adequate
funding for the Project. Many, if not most, HIV Prevention Planning Councils
have identified young gay/bisexual men as a high priority for prevention
services. The Mpowerment Project is listed in the CDC’s Compendium of HIVPrevention Interventions with Evidence of Effectiveness, which includes
programs shown to be effective through rigorous scientific evaluation. The
Mpowerment Project is the only HIV prevention intervention that has been
tested through rigorous research methods and has been shown to be effective in reducing unsafe sex among young gay/bisexual men. The CDC, which
funds many HIV prevention efforts, strongly urges the implementation of programs that have been shown to be effective through research. Thus,
referring to the Compendium will add considerable strength to any grant
proposals you write. For the same reason, it makes sense to apply for funding
to health departments, which are likely to be receptive to any program that research says works. Some local or national foundations may also be interested in funding part of or the entire Project. In addition, it may also be worthwhile to investigate other sources of funding for parts of theintervention, such as community foundation grants, local hospitals, or other
local funding mechanisms. In addition, organizations sometimes obtain partial
funding from their state health department, and supplement it (for example,
for space) from a community grantor or through other fund-raising efforts.It may not always be necessary to seek new funding sources if agencies are able and willing to reallocate existing funds by modifying current
programming. Since the Mpowerment Project may meet the requirements
of existing grants, contracts, or program objectives, if the organization
already has funding for MSM or gay and bisexual men’s programming, it may be
worthwhile to discuss this possibility with the funder.RELATED: Funding best practices, interview with a funder.RELATED: 16 Steps for starting the Mpowerment Project in your community.

StaffingThe implementing agency is responsible for advertising
the Project Coordinator positions, and for hiring, training, and supervising these staff members. More than anything
else, the success of the Mpowerment Project depends on recruiting and retaining talented and committed
young men to coordinate the Project. Through our work with organizations implementing the
Mpowerment Project, we have found that this may be the single most important ingredient that
leads to success. Consequently, it is essential that the implementing agency invest sufficient
time and energy into locating the right staff.
Project Coordinators must be outgoing, sociable,
comfortable talking to strangers and groups, and passionate about this new way of delivering
HIV prevention to young gay and bisexual men. The Coordinators need to be very knowledgeable about
the young MSM community, such as what are major segments of the young men’s community, where they
hang out and their culture, and this is best achieved by being part of some young gay/bisexual men’s social networks.Given the staff’s central importance in the Mpowerment Project, it
is important that an agency not simply hire people who are already on staff to fill Coordinator positions without carefully considering if they are well
qualified for this role. Our research has shown that these positions usually
require individuals who are currently from and quite socially active within
the MSM community. The characteristics listed above may or may not fit the description of staff who are already at an organization. If they do not
have these qualities, a thorough search for suitable staff is imperative. More
information about Coordinators’ roles and responsibilities can be found later
in this module, as well as in Module 4: Coordinators. Module 4: Coordinators is a free download when you register at www.mpowerment.orgRELATED: Join us. Attend the Mpowerment Project training.

Follow the Q Austin, Mpowerment TX on twitter: @q_austin

Agency policies, attitudes, and environmentThe implementing agency must be comfortable with three very basic
concepts that are integral to the success of any Mpowerment Project. First,
the agency must be comfortable letting the Core Group make decisions for
the Project. This is an integral part of the program, since empowering the
young gay/bisexual men’s community is central to the program’s purpose.Second, the implementing agency must be comfortable working with young
gay and bisexual men. Although this may sound obvious, in our research we have observed situations where the implementing agency behaved
judgmentally towards young gay/bisexual men, and developed policies and procedures that reflected their discomfort. Third, self-defeating
attitudes and beliefs held by staff at implementing agencies about HIV prevention with young gay and bisexual men, or about the Mpowerment
Project itself is a major barrier to running a successful Mpowerment Project.We have worked with many agencies who feel that young gay and bisexual men will never change their behavior, that the community is too apathetic to get involved, or that a community-mobilization
approach to prevention will never succeed. We acknowledge that HIV prevention can be difficult and frustrating work, but negative beliefs make
the work even harder, and they often become self-fulfilling prophecies by dooming a Project before it ever starts.It may be necessary to change some agency policies in order to implement
the Mpowerment Project effectively. As a prime example, agency
management must understand that because much of the work of running the Mpowerment Project takes place outside of regular business hours, the
Coordinators cannot work regular “nine-to-five” jobs.In order to reach
clients, a large portion of the work needs to be done in the evenings and on
weekends. For this reason, management must be prepared to defend the need
for Mpowerment Project staff to work these hours, should other agency staff
question the absence of Coordinators during regular business hours. Many
agencies have actually changed work-hour policies, as well as other policies
that may hamper the ability for the Mpowerment Project to be implemented
effectively.

MPowerment LI, Long Island New York, NY

Project Space

It is best to decide where the Mpowerment Project
will be housed as early as possible in the planning process. Ideally, the space that is selected can suitably host a variety of Project activities, from
small group gatherings to larger social events. If the chosen space is shared
with others, it is important that the Mpowerment Project have sole use of the space on a frequent and recurring basis. Further, if a shared space
cannot be customized to reflect the gay positive/sex positive nature of the
Project, a different space should be found. During our research, we learned of Mpowerment Projects that shared space with other programs that balked at openly displaying posters, invitations, and other HIV prevention materials
targeting gay/bisexual men. Since it is imperative to have such materials out
and freely available to Project participants, these spaces did not work well. The
issue of Project Space is discussed in greater detail in Module 6: Project Space. Module 6 is a free download when you register at www.mpowerment.org. RELATED: 3 important reasons for having a separate space for the Mpowerment Project.

Read more in Module 3: Implementing Agency, a free download when you register at www.mpowerment.org The objectives of Module 3 are to familiarize you with the responsibilities and functions of the implementing agency, including:

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

"2016 is a presidential election year, and we want every American to celebrate our nation's democracy by registering to vote and heading to the polls."++++++++++Scroll down to find:Talking pointsRock-the-vote via MTVVOTE! Posters for your Project SpaceSocial media resourcesRead me - articles of interest ++++++++++

Talking points

Every election, millions of American cannot cast a ballot because they do not know how to register or missed their local registration deadlines. National Voter Registration Day was created to combat this and make sure the American political process leaves no one behind.

National Voter Registration Day is the largest one-day effort of the year to register voters. It falls on the fourth (4th) Tuesday of September. This year, National Voter Registration Day is September 27, 2016.

In addition to the 2016 presidential race, countless number of state and federal elections will take place in November. This underscores the need to get registered now.

In 2016, all 435 voting seats in the House of Representatives will be up for election. 32 of the 100 seats in the Senate are being contested. 12 state governors and 44 state legislatures are holding elections. This is one of the many reasons National Voter Registration Day is so important. On September 27, all Americans should make sure they are registered to vote.

We encourage every Mpowerment Project to get involved!

++++++++++

"Let's make history! Everyday, nearly 12,000 Americans turn 18. Millennials are over 80 million strong and growing, and we're the largest most diverse generation in our country's history. As the largest living generation, we have the power to define our future." viaRock the Vote - MTV | Website

Tweet meJoin us in Celebrating Democracy in America! National Voter Registration Day is 9/27. http://goo.gl/e07Li3 #VoterRegistrationDayWhat’s #VoterRegistrationDay all about? Learn more at http://goo.gl/e07Li3Have you moved in recent years? Make sure you’re registered to #vote at your new address! http://goo.gl/e07Li3 #VoterRegistrationDayRegister in September to #vote in November. National Voter Registration Day is 9/27! http://goo.gl/e07Li3 #VoterRegistrationDay